The trust-fall exercise
I always enjoy conducting this exercise above to demonstrate how abundantly insecure humans are due to their various, previous experiences in the difference stages of their lives! Most team members will claim that they have faith in their friend’s goodwill. They say they trust each other and that they don’t think their friends could let them fall on the ground. This claim is fine until you ask them to fall backwards and trust that their friends will catch them!
So how does faith and trust relate?
For most people there seems to be no practical difference between faith and trust but that’s not true. Merriam-Webster defines faith as “belief and trust in and loyalty to God.” According to biblical scholars, faith is a noun. In Scripture, faith is defined as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). It is a belief in something or someone. It is something one possesses. On the other hand, trust is both a noun or a verb, depending on context. It is largely a doing word. Trust is a practical demonstration of faith. Eg Faith recognizes that a chair is designed to support the person who sits on it but trust demonstrates the faith by actually sitting on the chair. This implies that one can have faith without trust but no one can have trust without faith! True, complete faith involves trust otherwise it stays redundant and unproductive. Like Vlad said, ‘this is demon-level faith’ because demons have faith in the existence of an almighty God – but so what?! What really matters is what we do with faith and how we personalize it in our daily lives.
Sometimes we put faith in God creating what we want but not in who He is and His character. Then when don’t get what we want, we lose the faith. I once believed God for a miracle that was not in His plan for me and He didn’t do it. In hindsight, I am glad that He didn’t give me what I erroneously thought was my greatest need! Worrying, fretting, anxiety, fear etc is a demonstration of lack of trust in a mighty, loving and caring God! Faith is never nervous and trust is never unsure!
Trust is relying on a God who knows everything and who has goodwill towards us. He knows better what we need in life. True faith is trust in God’s complete wisdom and knowledge. Trust involves our alignment with God’s purposes and thoughts towards us and in feeling secure enough to let His will reign over ours! Trust is a practical demonstration of faith; you believe that the business will work so you become a guarantor for a loan.
In conclusion, God has the full picture, the blue print for life in general and for every individual living. Secondly, He is writing one big story and every human being, including you is part of it. As humans, we only know in part. So we need to choose to trust him with every detail of our lives. Only then can we have God-ordained success that comes with fullness of joy, peace and wholeness!
Prayer:
Lord, I am sorry where I have claimed to have faith and yet failed to trust! I choose to have true faith in you and to demonstrate that by trusting you fully in Jesus’ name! Give me the grace to live by faith in Jesus name! Ameen!
Scriptures:
Prov. 3:5-8 NIV
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall [b]direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. 8 It will be health to your [c]flesh, And strength[d] to your bones.
Hebrews 11: 1, 6 NLT
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen! And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
”… is that rare and priceless treasure that wins us the affection of our heavenly Father….” – Brennan Manning
